The food was great
The company, better.
Brought home a robe
(but not a wool sweater).
Grateful for fellowship,
Offers to stain.
Maybe next time we’ll day trade
Or fly in a plane.
Thursday, June 29, 2023
For the Goudy’s, draft no. 1
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Poems for My Patients, draft no. 1
By Jen Hunt, LPC
Sometimes, when my patients are working on an exercise in session, I have a few moments to myself. Occasionally, I use that time to write them a rough draft of a poem, which I give to them at the end of the session. Here are some of the ones I've done over the years. (All identifying information has been removed.)
My Savior is with me
All day and night
He’s led me through valleys
I’ve found the green grass
I’m peaceful, contented,
His child first and last
His burden is easy,
His yoke holds me fast.
--
What’s it like to play all day?
What’s it like to have something
to say?
Something to share and someone who
cares
Someone who stays and dries all my
tears?
I never knew that in my childhood,
years
But I can explore that now, in
here
Or in a journal to myself
A note with my inner child’s help.
--
Held back for a time
The next year is mine
I’ve said my goodbyes
On God’s wings I’ll fly
With worship, healing, friends in
view
I am ready for him to make all
things new.
--
Wherever I go
There I am
A calm, collected self I am
In touch with my feelings
In touch with my dreams
The next year will unfold
Beautifully.
--
There’s lots to like about me
But I can’t always see it
There’s lots to like about me
But I can’t always see
The good in me God put there
I’m really not sure why
But I’m learning how to like me
Because God says I shine
With many glitters of his glory
I’m his and he is mine.
--
What a joy to know weight lifted
Free from my inner despair
Left my secrets on the altar
From God’s hand been given care
No longer bound, no longer victim
Released from sin and shame
“Beloved Daughter” is my
Eternal state and name.
--
Freedom is coming
This I know
When fears arise,
To the Lord I go
My gentle shepherd
Protects his sheep
I can rest and sleep in peace.
--
I’ve been through a lot
But this one thing I know
I’ve got a wonderful places to go
Good head on my shoulders
Dreams high and wide
I will do valiantly,
In my corner of the sky.
--
There’s a room just for you
Where you’ll grow and explore
Finding your way
To freedom’s door
Good head on your shoulders
And friends near and far
You will do fabulously
Wherever you are.
--
I thought the road had ended
But it had just begun
A part of me was hidden
Behind what ifs and shame
But now I’ve got a future
By finding me again
Archery and fishing
Hanging out with friends
I thought the road had ended
But it had just begun.
--
However did I get here?
Whatever did I drink?
Laying it all on the table
It was easier than you’d think.
--
Sometimes life gets boring
I’m facing it alone
In my room my tears are pouring
There’s nothing to be done
I wonder if it’s worth it
To take another breath
Part of me feels hopeless
Part of me wants death
But that’s not the deepest part of
me
That’s not what brought me here
I want a life worth living
Joy and laughter, good friends
near.
Sometimes I forget
The worth I have
All I can see are flaws
But with help I will remember
I am lovely, quirks and all.
--
You might try to fool me
But I’m not gonna be fooled
You might try to use me
But I won’t be your muse
I’ve got a lot of anger
Poking at my sleeves
If there’s anything you taught me
It’s I’m never gonna please
Some people some times
So I’d be better off pleasing
This broken heart of mine
I’m tired of blaming myself
For what you’ve done
I know when I am valued
I’ve found the perfect one
You might try to fool me…
--
There’s times when I forget you
Yet you’re always there
There’s times I fear I’ve hurt you
Yet you’ve always cared
I wonder why I slip into
Living like you’re not
Lord help me to be quiet
And wait for what you’ve got
A heaven that’s for certain
A kingdom that is here
You’ll never stop hearing
So I’ll bring my every fear.
--
Truths to uncover
Wounds to heal
So much strength though
The pain is real
Finding your way
To a life lived full
Rising from ashes
Loved and beautiful.
--
Before you float
You must leave the shore
Where everything’s safe, tidy, moored
But only in the water’s deep
Will you reach the height
You were meant to leap
Nothing is easy
Nothing is cheap
He gives to his beloved
Even in his sleep.
--
Everything is shifting
I’m on sinking sand
I’m getting kinda shaky
Wherever can I stand?
Please show me how to follow
With everything I’ve got
--
I’ll let my yes be yes
And my no be no
I won’t be afraid
To let me feelings show
Life’s too short
To keep it inside am me
Heart open wide
I can’t please everyone
All the time
But I can be me
And that’s just fine.
--
There’s a tug o war
Inside o me
Keeping me from feeling free
I’d like to have some peace inside
I’d like to feel arms open wide
To get my sad and worried parts
From making wars and causing
fights
I think I’ll find a nicer way
By making friends with me today.
--
There are times I wonder
If I’m just taking up space
From someone more important
Someone smart or pretty-faced
But then I recall how Jesus
Loved the least of these
He tells me I belong here
Cause he created me.
--
Unstoppable is my word of the year
I’m leaving behind
Perfectionism, anxiety, fear
Good head on my shoulders
Good future to scout
Friends new and older
I’ll figure it out
Jesus, my pilot
Will guide me each day
Unstoppable me
Nothing’s getting in my way.
--
heard wisdom spoken
Not going to let it
ruin my day
I'm a survivor
Come what may.
--
A part of me is groaning
another's afraid to hope
I'm caught between the longing
and the shame of trying to cope
He hasn't gotten better
if anything, gotten worse
but here I am worrying
if I'll end up as his nurse
A part of me has courage
and knows a better way
I'm ready now to listen
and give my heart a break
Lord, help me with the sadness
Lord, help me with the grief
As lonely as I feel now,
I know you'll never leave.
---
I'm spreading my wings
I'm ready to fly
No holding me back
I'm touching the sky
Fears won't define me
I've learned how to stay
Strong in myself
At school and at play
Hope on the horizon
Grace in my heart
My future is waiting
I'm ready to start
God, give me the grace
to not put you aside
amid all the hustle
amid all my pride
I know you go with me
I'm never alone,
Your unfailing love
is my forever home.
___
I'm coming undone;
I'm coming undone.
I'm not sure when it will end
Or where it had begun.
Things are unraveling
to my left and my right
tears have been my companion
all through the night
My pillow is damp
Can't get out of bed
At times in this pain, I feel
I'd be better off dead.
Lord, help I'm drowning!
The shrapnel is real
I don't know what to think
or how to feel.
Cradle me tenderly
close to your chest
Remind me you see beauty
when all I see is mess.
___
There's a light at the end of this tunnel
A peace at the end of this song
I've been waiting to get to the end
But Christ has been with me all along
Nothing is easy in this life
I've taken some hits now and then
If I hadn't had Jesus with me
Lord knows where I would've been
Some lessons get learned the hard way
I'm grateful nonetheless
That God has good plans for my future
to make beauty from this mess
There's a light in the midst of the tunnel
A peace in the mid of the fight
No longer am I waiting the ending
Because Christ is with me in the night.
__
So much about me
I can't explain
lots to uncover
laughter and pain
just when I think
there's no more to see
I find a new treasure
inside of me
It can be scary
looking inside
not sure if I do
I won't want to hide
but if I keep trying
one day I'll see
newly loved parts of me
flying and free.
__
Poem for Panh, draft no. 1
Panh, what a faithful friend
Sticks with me through thick and thin
Daring, loyal, partner in crime
One who'd give you
Her very last lime.
Been through a lot and come out on top
The perfect guest for a weekly bar hop!
The Sherbet Sun Sinks Low, draft no. 1
The sherbet sun sinks low
Swaying, though the time is slow
Blushing cheekbones,
Cavalier--
No one believes my story here.
I'd take myself to another place,
If I truly trusted God's grace.
The poet laureate of Peonies Drive (draft no. 1)
The poet laureate of Peonies Drive
Wrote so few poems
Neighbors thought she wasn’t alive.
She went about from day to day
Flopping on sofas and beds in dismay
Saying, “I have nothing, plumb nothing,
Just nothing to say,
And it has gone on this way for interminable days.
Someone please take this poor poet’s crown away.”
So someone did and left her there
With nothing on top of her dark brown hair,
Alone and in throws of deep despair,
The once poet laureate of Peonies Drive,
Who had all but forgotten how to jive.
January Haiku Challenge
Day 1
Poor amaryllis
facing away from the sun
proud, yet very lost
Day 2
Carmel-by-the-Sea
ever in my thoughts and dreams
thumbprint for a house
Waiting for a prince
to whisk me to the ocean
how my ankles itch
Yelling at the app
for mucking with his order--
better fish to fry
Halo round the moon
branches still, no starts in sight
upper window view
Thought I heard dad yell
but it was a dog barking
diff’rence hard to tell
Day 3
Bike Trail Walk
Wind pushing our backs
cheeks pink with winter’s pinching
January stroll
Shower Her Off Dance
Four left feet between
us, cannot find the rhythm
yet stretching for love
Day 4
Packing
Putting groceries in
bags, feel twinge in lower back--
middle age is hard
Sharing
Borrows yoga blocks
to lift his computer screen--
good to have son back
Day 5: New Walking Buddy
Left right left we go
walking around Titletown
stretching limbs and minds
Day 6
I think I am stuck
stucker than stucker than stuck--
time for paper dolls
On my phone too much
relearning how to dawdle--
how tech-free fun heals!
Day 7
Blood curdling screams
over electric fan wire
never mind my heart
Day 8
Assessing damage
alibis, apologies--
marriage is hard work
Day 9
My world is quite small
paper doll cutouts is all--
inner child work
Day 10
A family chat
community group women
holding what is good
Day 11
Arcs of heavy snow
shoveled toward the edges--
plumber on his way
Day 12
Posting on Facebook
never know the response to
moldy rugs, haikus
Day 13
Wordle running streak
broken by murky mistake--
still the world goes on
Day 14
Everyone read this
on women in ministry
before it’s too late
Day 15
Heart wreath on the door
Valentines in the mail box
Where is the postman?
Day 16
If I’m too naïve
to be teaching men at church
why trust me with kids?
Day 17
Tissue for my nose
brisk wind watering my eyes
January walk
Day 18
Nestled by the fire
stacks of books on the table
January bliss
Day 19
Trying not to scratch
itchy patches on ankles
eczema torture
Day 20
Huel in a cup
claims healthier than ramen--
nothing to write home
Day 21
TV in pjs
Next to hubby, watching Crown--
30 years married
Day 22
No snow on the ground
January protesting
I will not complain
Day 23
Mall walking with Panh
buying Christmas cards in January
can’t resist tigers
Day 24
Itchy red ankles
eczema on the loose
no doctor ‘til March
Day 25
Volunteering gig
Time to help the shop I love
DPCO fun
Day 26
I Timothy scares
Got big girl pants on, reading
Give me wisdom, God
Day 27
Slippery sidewalks
More excuses not to walk--
Oh, for willpower
Day 28
Clomp, clomp, swishy-swish
East River Park snow shoeing
glad for little wind
Day 29
Walking at the mall
so many stores on my route
yet, nothing I want
Day 30
Thirty-fourth birthday
of when I trust Christ
on PEF ski trip
Day 31
Haiku thirty-one
My month-long fun is over
Keep going! I say
90 Years Strong (to the tune of “Coconut Woman”)
Who
hails from Princeton ‘55
Knows
every rock and plant alive
Plays
American folk on the guitar
Did
cartoons for his alma-mart-ar’
No, he isn’t turning
fifty--Donald E
But he’s sometin’
pretty nifty--turns 90
No, don’t tell me
I’m a liar--Donald E.
Yes, his age is
getting higher--turns 90
An
Ancient Order of Essex Weeder
A
guy who knows a thing or two--
Donald
Miller you’re right, that’s who!
No, he isn’t turning
fifty-- Donald E
But he’s sometin’
pretty nifty--turns 90
No, don’t tell me
I’m a liar--Donald E.
Yes, his age is
getting higher--turns 90
90
years strong and more to fill,
Just
gave 90 ties to the Goodwill.
Delivered
more babies than New Hampshire had bats;
Guess
he’s loosin’ it up for the final laps.
No, he isn’t turning
50--Donald E
No, he isn’t getting
wimpy--turns 90
Donald E like iron--Donald
E
He be strong like a
lion--turns 90
Let’s
give one last cheer to the dapper chap
Donald
Miller, the most cherished pap
If
you see him on a drive or at the store
Be
sure to wish him “Happy Day” and many more
‘Cause the fella’s
turning 90--Donald E
Donald E, the strong
and mighty--turns 90
Donald E like iron--Yes,
indeed
He be strong like a
lion--turns 90
How Weird Is It?
By Mom/Jen Hunt
Treated to meals out, meals in,
Mini golf, hikes, plays and gin*,
Scrabble and streaming,
Thrifting and mammoths,
Chinese and church friends,
Dr. Pepper and sculpture gardens
Magnolia, Rudy’s, HEB and Buc-ees--
Getting writer’s cramp just
documenting all the activities--
To wrap up, let this poet laureate confess,
Austin may be weird,
And have hip things to do,
But the best thing by far
Was seeing you two.
*(tequila didn’t seem to fit)
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